Grant initiative recruiting for health information certifications

An innovative grant initiative at Texas State University-San Marcos seeks to increase enrollment of health information specialists in two new certificate programs.

Up to $10,000 of tuition and fees will be paid by the grant for qualified students if all training is completed within one academic year. The certificate training programs are open to all qualified students regardless of grant funding.

The certificate programs offered are:

A one-year undergraduate program resulting in a privacy and security certificate. Applying students must have a bachelor’s degree and be seeking to use the certificate in a health information-related position

A one-year graduate training program resulting in a certificate of advanced studies of health information management. Qualifying graduates may serve as a health information management specialist, health information exchange specialist or a healthcare programmer or software engineer. Applying students must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in any field and be seeking to move into the health information field.

The HIM Certificate of Advanced Studies is offered on the Texas State campus and through multicampus/interactive video (ITV) locations in Round Rock, Dallas and Tyler with additional locations anticipated by fall 2011. The HI Privacy and Security Certificate is offered online as well as on campus.

The health information training grants are sponsored by the Professional University Resources and Education for Health Information Technology (PURE HIT), a consortium project supported by a $5.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services office of the national Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

Applications are available at www.health.txstate.edu/him. The submission deadline is July 1. For additional information, contact the PURE HIT grant office at pure-hit@txstate.edu or via phone at (512) 245-4418.